A PART-time sheep shearer from Winkleigh has raised thousands of pounds for charity through a 24-hour clipping marathon.

Phil Bridgman began shearing at midnight on Friday at Hatherleigh Market and had removed 500 woolly coats by midnight on Saturday.

The 57-year-old long distance lorry driver first came up with the unusual fundraising event two years ago.

'I had this urge to do something a bit special and raise a few bob at the same time,' he said.

'I really threw myself into it and, with the help of friends and business contacts, I had a fantastic event ready to go.'

However, hours before the shearing was due to start, the news came of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease and all animal movement was halted.

'It was a bit devastating. There we all were, raring to go, and not a sheep allowed near the place,' Mr Bridgman said.

Fortunately, hundreds of people turned up to enjoy the entertainment which was also laid on, raising more than £3,000 for charity despite the lack of sheep.

Mr Bridgman did not give up on his original plan and this year, the shearing went off without a hitch.

Speaking after the event, he said 24 hours of clipping coats had left him feeling 'a little bit jaded' but added that the atmosphere was brilliant: 'I was fairly exhausted and a little bit bored at some stages but when more people came in the evening it really lifted me.'

Alongside the shearing, crowds were entertained by 1970s rockers Mud, local band Thick as Thieves and other attractions including a dog show, a vintage tractor rally and clay pigeon shooting.

Mr Bridgman said he was not yet sure how much money the event had raised but all 500 tickets had sold, so he was hoping for about £15,000.

He paid tribute to all the people who came along: 'You can arrange whatever you want and can have it running perfectly but without the support of people coming along it's nothing. We organised the entertainment because not everybody wants to come and watch someone shear a few sheep. It ended up a good night and we raised a lot of money which was the main idea.'

The money raised will go to Dogs for the Disabled and the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.